Red alert for dangerously hot weather issued in 3 districts in Bulgaria

The most severe level of alert, code red, for dangerously hot weather has been issued for three districts in Northern Bulgaria - Pleven, Rousse and Veliko Tarnovo on July 25.

Temperatures are expected to be above 40 degrees per Celsius.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology warns of temperatures up to 42 degrees. Doctors recommend not to go outside between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Over the years, most of the records for the highest summer temperatures in the country have been registered in Rousse. However, Rousse residents don't remember it being this hot.

For ten days in a row, volunteers at the Youth Red Cross in Rousse are handing out bottled water and advising people on how to protect themselves from the heat. Experts remind that young children, pregnant women and the elderly are especially vulnerable to heat.

"It is good to always carry water with you. Always look for shady places and the most important thing we advise people even if they feel small symptoms - some kind of malaise, feeling dizzy, the temperature difference from outside and inside should not be more than 7-8 degrees," explained Antoaneta Yabanozova, director of the BRC-Rousse.

Due to the high temperatures, driving ban on heavy goods vehicles weighing over 20 tonnes has been introduced in three sections of the territory of the district, from 13.00 to 21.00. The aim is to avoid deformation of the asphalt pavement.

Code orange warning has been issued for 18 districts in the the country due to the hot weather, where temperatures will be around 39-41 degrees.

Code yellow has been declared in the rest of the country - Sofia, Pernik, Smolyan, Sofia-City and the Black Sea region where temperatures will be between 35 and 38 degrees.